Retired from Illinois:
Warren Hood retired as Deputy Director of Athletics at Illinois. HIs last day on the job was April 30, 2022. 

Began at Illinois:
Warren Hood was named Deputy Director of Athletics at Illinois in May, 2016. The longtime Illinois administrator serves as the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics’ number two administrator and is responsible for day-to-day operations in Josh Whitman’s absence.

Education:
Hood earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Illinois.

Responsibilities:
Hood directs DIA’s external units (marketing, public relations, corporate sponsorships, tickets and video services), as well as capital projects and facilities. He also serves as liaison with the football program and sports administrator for wrestling. In addition, he is currently working on developing a Division I hockey program and involved with a new $80 million football operations performance center due to be completed in July, 2019.

Hood directed the $170 million State Farm Center renovation project. The 3-year, 6 phase project was completed on-time and under budget in November, 2016.

Past Experience: |
From 1999-2014, Hood provided strategic leadership and financial management for external departments within the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics. Direct reports included the Big Ten Network, Business Development, Corporate Sponsorship, Licensing, Marketing, New Media, Creative Services, Public Relations, Ticket Operations and Sales and Video Production. He also served as the liaison for television (involving ABC, BTN, CBS, and ESPN) with the Big Ten Conference.

In 2013, Hood secured $60 million in naming rights for State Farm Center with long-time corporate partner State Farm Insurance. It is the largest corporate naming rights agreement for a college venue in the country.

From 2005-2009, he directed the $123 million renovation of Memorial Stadium. Identified as the Illinois Renaissance project, it involved building a nine-story west side pavilion that houses premium seating (suites, 77 and Colonnades Clubs), press and public concourses. The project also included a new north grandstand containing a state-of-the-art weight room and recruiting area.

During his career, Warren has been responsible for more than $300 million in corporate sales with Fortune 500 companies. He has also developed and directed $300 million in capital facility projects.

Personal:
He, his wife, Denise and two children reside in Mahomet.

Updated May 2022